Encouragement
by Mokiemorty
Summary: Former-colonel Mustang offers some much needed encouragement. Oneshot. Postseries. PARENTAL!RoyAl. Short, but to the point.


_**Disclaimer:**__ I don't own any rights pertaining to Fullmetal Alchemist. I should hope you figured that out for yourself, though._

Roy Mustang started at the sight of the boy before him. At first, he seemed a mirror image of Edward. But, no, he soon realized. His eyes, though passionate and determined like Edwards, were soft, and dark. Other slight differences made themselves apparent as the boy spoke.

"Are you Colonel Mustang?" A young voice asked. He recognized that voice.

"Alphonse?" He had heard about the younger Elric regaining his body, but this was the first he'd seen of him. Coming back to the present, he remembered that the boy had just addressed him. "No, I'm not a Colonel anymore."

Alphonse frowned. "Oh, that's right. I'm sorry."

Definitely not Edward.

"What are you doing out here?" Mustang glanced over the boy's shoulder, out into the rampaging blizzard behind him.

"Oh, I was in the area," (Mustang briefly wondered what could have brought him to this forsaken wasteland) "and I heard that you lived around here." He smiled, despite the cold wind blowing his hair and clothes in every which direction. The clothes that Edward used to wear.

Mustang sighed wearily, stepping aside to let him in. Though he was in no mood for socializing. Especially with the young man whose brother he'd lost.

* * *

Alphonse sipped his hot water appreciatively. Roy was sure he would have preferred tea, but he wasn't the kind to keep it around. After a short while, he looked to the former colonel.

"My brother was allowed to join the army because you helped him, right?"

He recalled being told that Alphonse had lost his memory of that time he spent trapped in that armor. That made it so much harder to say 'yes'. Because that would confirm that it was all his fault that the boy's brother was gone.

When there came no reply, Alphonse began again. "Because, I've been thinking…" He paused a minute, to take another sip of his water. "Maybe I should join now, too."

He blinked. "Why would you want that?"

Alphonse lifted his eyes to Mustang's again. "Well, didn't my brother have access to the Central Library? And a research budget? Maybe I could find him faster if-"

"Stop." He hated to cut him off, but such talk was making him sick. "You're not joining the military."

Alphonse looked slightly confused at this point. "Why not? If it could help me find my brother-"

And again, Mustang cut him off. "Your brother hated being tied to the state."

He paused yet again. "I know. But, he did it because he had to. He did it for me." He lowered his head. "Why shouldn't I do it for him?"

Mustang sighed, looking the young man over. Not only did he dress like his older brother, but now he was trying to follow his flawed footsteps. He was sure that no one, especially not Edward, would want that to happen.

"Alphonse, you know that Edward would kill us both i- when he finds out." '"_When", Mustang. "When" he finds out.'_

"I guess so." There was a distinctive crack in his voice. Talking about his brother was probably to much for him. "I'm just… Lost. I-I don't know where to go from here. I'm loosing hope."

Mustang really was no good with children. He didn't know how to deal with a crying teenager. Especially not an Elric. But then. Alphonse was different from his brother, right?

He placed a hand gently on his shoulder. (And tried not to think about how oddly funny it was that he was already taller than Edward was the last time he saw him.) "Listen."

Alphonse wiped his eyes and looked up to the former colonel.

"Do you really want to be like your brother?" He asked with a military sternness.

"I never said I wa-" It was a good thing he took to being cut off so well.

"Alphonse, do you _really_ want to be like your brother?" He asked again, his voice even more fortified.

"I-…" He broke eye contact before speaking again. "Yes..."

"Then don't give up."

He blinked. "What?"

"You heard me." His voice softened involuntarily. "'Don't give up'. If the Edward you remember is anything like the Edward I knew," (_'"Know", damnit!'_)"then he wouldn't give up, no matter how lost he was."

A light smiled found its way to his face. "Yeah… That does sound like Brother."

He allowed Al to see a light smile. "Keep trying, Alphonse."

He gave a determined nod before standing. "I will." He faced the colonel once more. "Thank you, sir."

The former colonel snickered. "That's another thing your brother wouldn't do."

_**Author notes:**__ This fic was written in response to the lack of Parental!RoyAl out there. As much as we all love Parental!RoyEd, I think it's time to branch out. So, with this fic, I give you a challenge. Take the 'Parental!' lable, and go in a new direction. Whether it be Parental!RizaAl or Parental!RoyWinry or Parental!ScarEd. Just be creative! (And let me know about it so I can read it, too. xP)_

_Anyways. I know it's short and stuff, (I am toying with a multi-chapter fic, if you wanna help me toss ideas around, shoot me an Email. :3) but I couldn't get it out of my head. xP Tell me what you think!_


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